Corporal Robert Paterson holds a very special place in the heart of Isabel Carey of Catalina.
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Isabel is Robert’s niece and his story of bravery and sacrifice in World War I will have a very special resonance on April 25 this year.
Robert was born on October 29, 1894, on a farm at Buckrabanyule in Victoria.
He was the first-born of his parents’ two sons and seven daughters.
His nephew, Ian Jackson, of Melbourne, says an examination of one of his exercise books from sixth grade, in 1907, shows Robert to be “quite artistic and clever”.
“Later, he also became quite an accomplished whittler,” Ian said.
Robert was working on the farm with his father when he enlisted to serve in World War I on February 16, 1916, at Bendigo.
He was assigned to the Lewis gun section as a Lance Corporal, and was promoted later to the rank of Corporal, Service No 103 with the 3rd Division of the 10th Brigade, 38th Battalion.
On June 20, 1916, he sailed from Port Melbourne on A54 HMAT Runic bound for England and arrived in Plymouth on August 10 before training at Lark Hill camp on the Salisbury Plains.
On September 27 that year, a Wednesday, all the ANZAC troops in camp were reviewed by King George V.
Robert wrote to one of his sisters: “. . . we were marched past the King. I was the right-hand man of our platoon so passed the closest to him, so that is something to say.”
The Battalion proceeded to France on November 22, and Robert was killed on February 27, 1917, near Armentieres, France.
Ian said that apparently Robert and another soldier were taking a rest after helping a wounded comrade behind the lines when a rogue shell came over and killed them all.
“They had been involved in a special raid behind enemy lines, and had managed to reach the third line of barbed wire,” Ian said.
“He was 22 years and four months old.”
Robert is buried at the Cité Bonjean military cemetery in that town.
To contribute to this special tribute, which pays homage to ANZACs, visit www.batemans
baypost.com.au and click on The Faces of Anzac link, or phone editor Kerrie O’Connor on 4472 6577.